Manifesting Christ by C. M. S.

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Tacoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Jul 18, 1907

Manifesting Christ

By C. M. S.

As representatives of God's closing work for this world, our actions should leave no reasonable doubt in the minds of our neighbors as to the person we represent in our daily acts. Every experience we pass through gives us an opportunity of exemplifying our Master. Our daily walk should so set him before the world that hearts would be drawn even out of sin to him. Every affliction that comes is an opportunity to preach Christ to an audience that will hear and that might hear of him in no other way—and there is no hall rent to pay. But if, when affliction comes, we allow it to cause us to complain, we are misrepresenting him whose name we have taken upon ourselves, and the cause of the adversary wins recruits through us. This preaching by living is a kind of preaching we can none of us escape. We can not miss our appointments, but we can misrepresent the One who makes them for us. A correspondent says: “The devil is reflected in many of our acts, not all of them, but the actions are often so mixed that a careless observer can not tell whether God or Babel is represented.” We must eliminate such confusion from the teaching of our lives, or we shall one day hear the terrible sentence, “I never knew you: depart from me.”

Let us say, with Paul, “Our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory.” “Not only so, but we glory in tribulations also.” “Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation.” Do we wish to be among those from whose eyes “God shall wipe away every tear,” who “shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more,” who are to be shepherded and guided by the Lamb himself, who have “washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb,” and stand “before the throne of God,” serving him “day and night in his temple,” over whom he “shall spread his tabernacle”? Of that company it is said, “These are they which came out of the great tribulation.” Rev. 7:13-17.

Shall tribulation separate us from the love of Christ? It will, unless, in that tribulation, we permit Christ to shine out through our manner of bearing it. Do we expect to reach heaven without trials? It is a false hope, which will ruin us if clung to. Paul says, “Through many tribulations we must enter into the kingdom of God.” Acts 14:22. He said that while still bearing the bruises of his stoning at Lystra. Christ said, “In the world ye have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.” Every tribulation borne as Christ would bear it preaches Christ to the world, and makes you more like Christ than you ever have been before. C. M. S.